Agastache plant named ‘ASUOR03-0’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Agastache  plant named ‘ASUOR03-0’ is disclosed, characterized by orange flowers, good plant vigor, and increased branching. Plants produce densely flowering racemes. The new cultivar is an  Agastache , suitable for ornamental garden purposes.

Latin name of the genus and species: Agastache hybrid.

Variety denomination: ‘ASUOR03-0’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The new cultivar is the result of a planned breeding program by theinventor. The crossing of two unnamed, unpatented, proprietary varietiesof Agastache was made in June 2017 in Santa Paula, Calif. ‘ASUOR03-0’was found and selected in August 2017.

The first asexual propagation of ‘ASUOR03-0’ occurred in September 2018by terminal vegetative cuttings at a nursery in Santa Paula, Calif.Subsequent propagation has shown that the unique features of thiscultivar are stable and reproduced true to type in several successivegenerations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following are the unique combination of characteristics of this newcultivar when grown under standard horticultural practices in SantaPaula, Calif.:

-   -   1. Orange flowers.    -   2. Increased branching.    -   3. Densely flowering raceme.    -   4. Vigorous plants.

COMPARISON TO PARENT VARIETIES

‘ASUOR03-0’ is similar in most horticultural characteristics to the seedparent. Plants of the new cultivar ‘ASUOR03-0’ however differ in thefollowing:

-   -   1. The new variety has more flowers per inflorescence than the        seed parent.    -   2. The new variety has orange flowers, while the seed parent has        pink flowers.

‘ASUOR03-0’ is similar in most horticultural characteristics to thepollen parent. Plants of the new cultivar ‘ASUOR03-0’ however differ inthe following:

-   -   1. The new variety has greater plant vigor than the pollen        parent.    -   2. The new variety is a denser plant with more branches than the        pollen parent.    -   3. The new variety has darker red flowers than the pollen        parent.

COMMERCIAL COMPARISON

‘ASUOR03-0’ can be compared to the commercial variety Agastache‘Acapulco Orange’, unpatented. Plants of the two cultivars are similarin most horticultural characteristics. Plants of the new cultivar‘ASUOR03-0’, however, differ in the following:

-   -   1. The new variety is a more compact plant than this comparator.    -   2. The new variety is more floriferous than this comparator.    -   3. Flowers of the new variety are stacked more tightly on the        raceme than flowers of this comparator.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

‘ASUOR03-0’ is illustrated by the accompanying photographs which showthe plant's form, foliage, and inflorescences. The colors shown are astrue as can be reasonably obtained by conventional photographicprocedures. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the colorvalues cited in the detailed botanical description, which accuratelydescribe the colors of the new hybrid Agastache.

FIG. 1 shows a plant of the new variety at about 8 months old from arooted cutting grown in a greenhouse in Santa Paula, Calif. duringSpring.

FIG. 2 shows a close-up view of the inflorescence.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The following is a detailed description of the botanical characteristicsof the new and distinct hybrid Agastache known by the denomination‘ASUOR03-0’. The detailed description was taken of an 8 month old plantin Santa Paula, Calif. in 2019. For each measurable character, tenrandom measurements were recorded and used to derive averages andcharacteristic ranges. All colors cited herein refer to The RoyalHorticultural Society Color Chart (R.H.S.), 2007 Edition.

-   Botanical classification: Agastache ‘ASUOR03-0’.

PROPAGATION

-   Time to Initiate Roots: About 20 days at approximately 20 to 22° C.-   Root description: Fine, densely fibrous.-   Time to produce a rooted cutting: About 21 days at 22° C.

PLANT

-   Growth habit: Upright to outwardly arching annual.-   Pot size of plant described: 10 inch.-   Height: Approximately 40 cm to top of flowering plane, approximately    28 cm to top of foliage plane.-   Plant spread: Approximately 55 cm.-   Growth rate: Rapid.-   Branching characteristics: Free-branching.-   Length of primary lateral branches: Approximately 10 to 14 cm,    foliage section only.-   Diameter of lateral branches: Approximately 0.3 cm.-   Quantity of lateral branches: Approximately 4 to 8 branches emerge    from a pinch.-   Stem:    -   -   Color.—Near RHS Green 138A.        -   Pubescence.—Very short, dense pubescence.        -   Other stem characteristics.—Quadrangular.-   Internode length: Averages between 2.4 to 3 cm.-   Age of plant described: Approximately 20 weeks from 3 rooted    cuttings.

FOLIAGE

-   Leaf:    -   -   Arrangement.—Opposite.        -   Quantity.—Approximately 10 to 16 fully expanded leaves per            main branch.        -   Average length.—Approximately 4 to 5.5 cm.        -   Average width.—Approximately 2.5 cm.        -   Shape of blade.—Deltoid.        -   Apex.—Acute.        -   Base.—Truncate.        -   Attachment.—Stalked.        -   Margin.—Nearly entire, typically 3 to 6 serrations per side.        -   Texture of top surface.—Velvety.        -   Texture of bottom surface.—Glabrous.        -   Color.—Young foliage upper side: Near RHS Green 137A. Young            foliage under side: Near RHS Green 138A. Mature foliage            upper side: Near RHS Green 137A. Mature foliage under side:            Near RHS Green 138B.        -   Venation.—Type: Pinnate. Venation color upper side: Near RHS            Yellow-Green 144B. Venation color under side: Near RHS Green            138C.        -   Petiole.—Average Length: Approximately 1.1 cm. Diameter:            Approximately 0.1 cm. Color: Near RHS Green 138A.

FLOWER

-   Natural flowering season: Flowering begins early Spring and    continues through late Summer.-   Inflorescence type and habit: Raceme. Individual flowers    self-cleaning, calyx persistent.-   Flower longevity on plant: Individual flowers approximately 8 days    on the plant without significant color loss or other degradation.-   Quantity of flowers: Between 15 and 30 fully opened flowers per    blooming spike, at one time; about 60 blooming spikes per plant.-   Inflorescence size:    -   -   Diameter.—Approximately 6.5 cm.        -   Height.—Average range 8 to 12 cm.-   Peduncle:    -   -   Length.—Average range 3 to 5 cm.        -   Diameter.—3 mm.        -   Color.—Near RHS Green 138B.        -   Orientation.—Straight.        -   Texture.—Pubescent and ridged.        -   Strength.—Strong.-   Pedicel:    -   -   Length.—Average range 1 to 3 mm.        -   Diameter.—1 mm.        -   Color.—Near RHS Greyed-Purple N187B.        -   Orientation.—Straight.        -   Texture.—Pubescent.        -   Strength.—Soft and flexible.-   Corolla:    -   -   Petal arrangement.—The corolla is highly fused, zygomorphic,            bilabiate. 1 upper lip with 2 lobes, and 2 smaller lateral            petals with single lobes and 2 slightly larger highly fused            lobes forming a lower lip.        -   Margin.—Entire.        -   Petal apex shape.—Obtuse.        -   Entire corolla length.—Approximately 2.7 cm.        -   Entire corolla width.—Approximately 0.8 cm.        -   Attachment aspect.—About 75-90° to stem.        -   Persistence.—Non-persistent.        -   Fragrance.—Very aromatic, licorice scent.-   Petal:    -   -   Length.—Upper lip Approximately 0.5 cm, lower lip            Approximately 0.6 cm. Laterals Approximately 0.4 cm.        -   Width.—Upper lip Approximately 0.5 cm, lower lip            approximately 0.6 cm, laterals Approximately 0.4 cm.        -   Texture.—Glabrous.        -   Tube.—Length: About 2.2 cm. Width: About 0.7 cm at widest            point.-   Color:    -   -   Petals.—When opening: Interior surface: Near RHS Orange-Red            31A. Exterior surface: Near RHS Orange-Red 30D, lightly            flushed Orange-Red 34A. Fully opened: Interior surface: Near            RHS Orange-Red 31B. Exterior surface: Near RHS Orange-Red            31B, lightly flushed Red 32B. Fading: Interior surface: Near            RHS Orange-Red 31B. Exterior surface: Near RHS Orange-Red            31B, lightly flushed Orange-Red 34C.-   Floral tube:    -   -   When opening.—Interior surface: Near RHS Yellow-Orange 14D.            Exterior surface: Near RHS Orange-Red 32C, lightly flushed            N34C.        -   Fully opened.—Interior surface: Near RHS Yellow-Orange 14D.            Exterior surface: Near RHS Orange-Red 32C, lightly flushed            N34C.        -   Fading.—Interior surface: Near RHS Yellow-Orange 22D.            Exterior surface: Near RHS Orange-Red 32C, flushed N34C.-   Bud:    -   -   Shape.—Curved ovoid.        -   Length.—Approximately 1.4 cm.        -   Diameter.—Approximately 0.4 cm.        -   Color.—Near RHS Orange 26A, flushed Orange-Red 34A.-   Calyx:    -   -   Length.—Approximately 0.7 cm.        -   Diameter.—Approximately 0.3 cm.        -   Shape.—Tubular.-   Sepals:    -   -   Shape.—5 sepals fused to form a tube.        -   Apex.—Highly acute.        -   Margin.—Entire.        -   Texture.—Pubescent. Ridged.        -   Color.—Near RHS Green 138C, flushed near apex Greyed-Purple            N186C.        -   Persistence.—Persistent.

REPRODUCTIVE ORGANS

-   Stamens:    -   -   Number.—4.        -   Filament length.—Approximately 2 cm lower 50% fused to            petals.        -   Filament color.—Near RHS Purple N57C.-   Anthers:    -   -   Shape.—Elliptic.        -   Length.—Approximately 1 mm.        -   Color.—Near RHS Greyed-Purple N187A.        -   Pollen.—Scant.        -   Pollen color.—Near RHS Yellow-White 158D.-   Pistil:    -   -   Number.—1.        -   Length.—Approximately 3.2 cm, not fused to floral parts.        -   Style.—Length: Approximately 3 cm. Color: Near RHS White            155C, uppermost section flushed near Red-Purple 72A.        -   Stigma.—Shape: Two-parted cleft. Color: Near RHS Red-Purple            72A. Ovary color: Near RHS Yellow-White 158A.

OTHER CHARACTERISTICS

-   Disease and pest resistance: Not observed to be susceptible nor    resistant to normal diseases and pests of Agastache.-   Temperature tolerance: The new variety tolerates temperatures    between 0 to 40° C.-   Fruit/seed production: Not observed.

What is claimed is:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of Agastache plantnamed ‘ASUOR03-0’ as herein illustrated and described.